Memories
by FicFan123
Summary: Regina and Henry discuss their fathers.


"Henry? What are you doing here?" Regina said in surprise as her son walked in the backyard.

"Don't sound so happy to see me," the teenage boy said with a grin.

"You know I am always happy to see you. But I thought you were spending today with Emma and your grandparents?"

He shrugged. "I didn't want to."

"Henry? What's wrong?"

"It's Father's Day," he said quietly.

Regina patted the space next to her on the back porch swing. Henry sat down beside her and she put her arm around his shoulders. "And it's hard when your father isn't here anymore."

Henry nodded and leaned into her. "Yeah – it's like the whole day is about pointing out that he's gone. It's more like 'Everyone Has a Father But Me Day'"

"I understand."

"I know. That's why I came here."

"I'm glad you came," she told him. They stay in silence for long minutes, swinging lazily to no particular rhythm.

"I never got to wish him a Happy Father's Day. Not even once," Henry said at last. "I just didn't want to watch everyone pretend that Little Uncle made Gramps a card."

"It's not fair," the brunette said simply.

"No – it's not. I never even got to know him. Not really."

"You know the important things. You know he loved you. You know he fought to keep you safe."

"I guess. And that he was always smiling – his eyes would just kinda twinkle…"

"So do yours."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. You definitely got that from him."

"What about you? What did you get from your father?"

Regina frowned. "I'm not sure. My love of horses – that I got from him. And my liking of chocolate – Daddy loved anything sweet."

"You never talk about him."

"You know why that is," Regina said softly.

"Yeah. Would you tell me what he was like?"

"He was a kind man. A good man, but … not a strong one."

"But you loved him? You named me after him."

"My feelings are … complicated."

"But you loved him, right?"

"Yes. He was the one that would hug me when I was upset. He would carry me on my shoulders when I was little. Later he was the one that taught me how to ride. On my birthday or special occasions he would sneak into my bed chamber with candy or sweets in the middle of the night and we would just talk and laugh like a couple of kids. He was the one that sat by my bed when I was sick as child – and that definitely was not a normal thing for fathers to do back in the Enchanted Forest. But he would also walk away when my mother …. He would tell me that I needed to stop upsetting her."

"Neal used to buy me ice cream – even when he wasn't supposed to."

Regina smiled. "So you do have some good memories?"

"Yeah – I guess."

"What is your favorite?"

"Neal tried to teach me to sword fight one day. Then Gramps saw and said that he was doing it wrong and then before I knew it they were sword fighting with these little wooden swords. Emma and Grams came out and started cheering them on. Everyone was laughing."

"That sounds like a great memory, Henry. So who won?"

"No one. They were both laughing so hard that they couldn't keep fighting."

Regina chuckled. "I can see why."

"What about you? What's your favorite memory of your Dad?"

"That's easy. The day he gave me Rocinante. He was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He was just two years old – he hadn't even been ridden yet. It wasn't my birthday or a holiday – Daddy had just been waiting to find the right horse, he said. And when he saw Roci, he knew that was the horse for me. I loved him at first sight – and I think he loved me too. Well, after the first few carrots. "

"How old were you?"

"Nine."

"You got a horse at nine? You wouldn't even let me get a dog!"

"Different world, Henry. And we had stable hands to take care of the horses. And a horse doesn't poop in the house. Well, there was that one time…."

"What?"

Regina shrugged and blushed slightly. "I was just a child."

"You gotta tell me!"

Regina looked over and her son's grinning face – a face far happier than the melancholy lad that had walked into the backyard earlier. "As I said, I was just a child. Rocinante was more than just a horse to me – he was my best friend. I got it in my head that he needed to see my bed chamber. So one day when Mother was gone I tried to sneak him in. The front doors were easily large enough as were the hallways. But I didn't count on the fact that horses don't do stairs well, even if they are wide enough for one. Daddy caught me as I was trying to pull him up the stairs. While Daddy was scolding me, Rocinante .. well, he pooped right at the start of the staircase."

Henry began laughing. He laughed until his eyes filled with tears. Regina tried to keep a straight face but after a moment she joined in.

"What happened?"

"Daddy made me take Roci back to the barn and he cleaned up the mess so that the servants didn't see it."

"You didn't get in trouble?"

"No – I didn't. Daddy never really punished me."

"Wow. You would have grounded me for life if I had done something like that!"

"Yes I would so don't get any ideas!"

Henry laughed. "Don't worry – no horses in the house. I promise. "

"Good – because unlike Daddy I would make you clean it up."

Henry grinned at her then his smile faded. "You used to take flowers to the vault on Father's Day. Did you do that today?"

"Yes. This morning."

"Oh."

"If you like we could take some flowers to Neal's grave."

"You'd go with me?"

"If you want me to, of course."

"It feels kinda silly to give him flowers. I never would have given him flowers if he was alive."

Regina nodded her head, and then waved her hand. Two small wooden swords appeared on the able. "What about those instead?"

"Perfect. Thanks, Mom."


End file.
